Kaz Hirai sheds Sony Computer Entertainment chairman role
No more play at his station.
Kaz Hirai, overlord of the entire Sony Corporation, has "retired" from his role as representative director and chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment.
He'll still be a part-time member of the Board, according to Sony's investor website.
Ageing fuzzy-haired Welshman Howard Stringer - once boss of Sony Corporation - has retired from his part-time role as Board member for Sony Computer Entertainment.
What does this all mean? Potentially, that Hirai is shedding his PlayStation skin as he takes on the Sony business as a whole. Hirai rose through the ranks of PlayStation, even though he joined the US arm of Sony Music as a marketeer back in 1984. Hirai was instrumental in announcing PlayStation 3 to the world.
Hirai assumed direct control of Sony as a whole on April Fool's Day this year. And he soon set about reorganising the bloated and bleeding beast into a leaner, healthier organisation.
Under the new hierarchy of fewer bosses, Hirai was to be responsible - on top his presidential and CEO duties - for Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Network Entertainment and the Home Entertainment & Sound divisions.
We're not sure whether his stepping down as director and chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment has any bearing on this.
Then again, Sony has much bigger and more immediate concerns than the health of PlayStation - rather than strike off the Bravia telly business, Hirai opted to save and overhaul it. This remains Sony's chief focus for now.
